I (F34) work at a public library and a group of middle school boys have been asking me to say “step stool”. They’ve been yelling “step stool” at each other when they’re outside like they’re the annoying drunk bros heckling at a sports game. When I asked them why and they said it was a thing on TikTok but wouldn’t tell me what it means. Does anyone know?
Why are kids asking me to say “step stool”?
r/ask
Comments
Because their real stool wouldn’t do it.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=step%20stool
I have no idea – Urban Dictionary for “step stool” and googling “step stool tik tok” both turned up nothing, and I have a teenage brother and I’ve never heard him say that either. My guess is they think “stool” is a dirty word (as in stool sample), they’re playing some kind of game of chicken with each other, or they just think it sounds funny. Middle schoolers make up odd phrases for the fun of it
This is my step stool. I never knew my real stool.
Maybe their biological stools left when they were younger
What are you doing, step stool??
Sounds like an inside joke.
It’s like quite the interesting situation at the library! Kids can be so funny with their trends. It seems like “step stool” has become a little inside joke for them, probably from a TikTok video that went viral. Sometimes these phrases just catch on and take on a life of their own! If you’re curious, maybe you could ask them to show you the TikTok or explain it—who knows, you might end up in on the joke too! Keep up the great work at the library; it’s always fun to see how kids express themselves!
Hang in there. The year is almost over.
Whatever you do, don’t say the word.